Hearing loss comes in varying degrees. Yet most often professionals advise that you treat any significant loss through implementation of hearing devices. Most often with two hearing aids. Recent developments have made these formerly cumbersome eyesores into seamless (and even sometimes invisible) electronics. Whisper Hearing Center believes that clear and confident hearing is priceless, and these electronic devices are worth the investment.

Unique solutions for your ears

Hearing aids are no longer “one size fits all” models. Many different styles and designs offer the wearer the best quality of hearing for their individual lifestyle and needs. For this reason, getting an assessment from a hearing professional is vital when choosing what devices are right for you.

Two hearing aids? Forget about it!

If you consult the top hearing industry professionals, they generally recommend using dual hearing aids to combat most types of hearing loss. Using two devices simultaneously (or binaural hearing) benefits the wearer to such a significant degree that it outweighs the additional cost. With two hearing aids, you will:

Have a better understanding of speech – Two hearing aids allow for easier selective listening. Your brain can focus on the exact conversation you want to hear, not the background noise that is a nuisance to all untreated hearing loss sufferers (and even those who use one device).

Be able to understand more accurately – Even in the most difficult of situations, speech intelligibility is vastly improved when two devices are utilized instead of one.

Be able to correctly identify the origin of noise – Binaural hearing is optimal for localization or the direction in which sound originates.

Have a better quality of sound – A simple numerical comparison says it all. Would you prefer 180 degrees or 360 degrees of sound reception? With two devices, the 360 degrees of reception allows for the most natural sound quality that is technologically possible.

Experience a smooth quality of tone for better sound identification – Two hearing aids requires less volume than one. With the reduction of distortion, you can identify and comprehend sounds easier.

Keep both of your ears active – With two devices, you will discover a wider hearing range. When both ears actively participate in the auditory process, you gain double the hearing power. With only one, the unaided ear can degrade over time. You can avoid Auditory Deprivation Effect with binaural hearing which two devices can provide!

Okay, I understand… but do I really need two hearing aids?

Usually, you will. However, if your hearing assessment reveals that your hearing is completely normal in one ear, a second hearing device won’t help you. Adversely, if you show total deafness in one ear, you won’t need two hearing aids. Also, if you suffer from chronic ear infections (which is a cause of hearing loss), a single hearing aid may work best. This will help you avoid aggravating the infection and limit the number of reoccurrences. Some specific forms of hearing loss cause garbled speech and no hearing aids would help.

Hear in stereo

But for majority of people with hearing loss, two hearing aids are best. Health care professionals generally recommend dual hearing aid configuration. Moreover, numerous consumer satisfaction surveys show better results with two. To learn about your specific needs, call us at (866) 337-1288. Whisper Hearing Center will happily walk you through the decision making process including financing and insurance possibilities. We welcome you to make a complimentary appointment today.

When you have a hearing aid, you have to make sure you are careful when you are around water. This can be difficult in the summer months, when the call to the seashore beckons. Yet for those that spend all their days in a warm climate, this could be a daily occurrence. Thus, it is vital to know if your hearing aid is water resistant.

“Are there even waterproof hearing aids?”

They do exist, but even these devices may only be approved up to a certain level of water. A rogue ocean wave may spell doom to even the hardiest of hearing aid models. To learn more about your hearing aid and if it is water resistant, be sure to ask your audiologist.

“I’m not a beach person so this doesn’t apply to me!”

Not so fast! Your hearing aid may still come in contact with some water. Even the small bit can damage a unit that is not properly suited for water. Due to the small size of the current hearing aid models, they can easily become an after-thought. However, there are steps you can take to minimize the damage if your unit accidentally gets wet.

Remember these steps!

1. Turn off your hearing aid immediately!
2. Take out the hearing aid’s battery.
3. Shake the hearing aid to try and get all of the water out from the battery’s housing.
4. Find a clean and dry cloth to thoroughly dry your hearing aid battery. No water should be present when reinserting the battery into the device.
5. Keep the battery component open and place your hearing aid in a dry area. If you can place the hearing aid in a warm area, all the better!
6. You want it to dry out completely… but just make sure it doesn’t get too hot. Melting will be more catastrophic than the water damage!
7. Once fully dry, reinsert the battery to your device.

“Did I save it?”

If you follow these steps, your hearing aid will have a much better chance of working optimally once again. If it is still malfunctioning, you need to take your hearing aid to your audiologist. Only a trained hearing specialist will be able to assess the damage and tell you if the unit can be salvaged.

Hearing aids are an important investment in your well-being. If you wear them, keep these important tips in mind during the summer months or year-round if you live in a warm climate. When you apply sunscreen, watch out for your hearing aids. Their outer shell is plastic, so the chemicals in the cream or spray can affect them.

Mind your ears at festivals and music concerts

Are you heading to summer music festival or concert? Perhaps your loved one is? If it will be loud, be aware of the dangers of hearing damage. In outdoor settings where the atmosphere is more open than an indoor environment, people are often unaware of the dangers to their ears. This is important for everyone – not just those with hearing loss!

Rule of thumb: If you have to shout to make yourself heard, your ears are under strain. Consider wearing hearing protection such as earplugs, and take regular breaks from the loud environment.

Keep hearing equipment cool, and beware the dangers of heat

Excessive heat is harmful for hearing aids and their accessories, so it’s important to keep them cool. Avoid leaving them in your car for any length of time in warmer weather, and always keep them out of direct sunlight.

Flying on vacation

Sometimes when flying (or going under water), you may experience a sense of pressure in the ears and nose. When the air can flow relatively easily, the higher pressure air will quickly flow to the lower pressure air, and the pressure difference will disappear. However, sometimes a blockage prevents air from flowing freely in our ears. This can be painful – or very annoying. A number of things can cause a blockage, including earwax, inflammation or a cold.

Note than when flying with hearing aids, you may wear your devices, including through security and on the plane. So keep them switched on as you travel – they’ll help you hear any important announcements.

At the beach and by the pool

Few hearing aids can tolerate being submersed in water –even if they are water-resistant. So make sure to take them off before getting caught in the middle of a water fight. While you’re enjoying the water, store them in a safe place or in something waterproof.

Proper cleaning techniques for hearing aids

Everyone perspires a little more in the heat. Unfortunately the combination of heat and moisture creates a perfect environment for fungal microbes to develop in your hearing aids.

To avoid mold, keep cleaning wipes handy to clean your devices, and keep them dry. If you live in a humid environment, you may need to change filters and domes often. If you find significant moisture building up, a hearing aid dryer could prove a smart investment.

To ensure good air circulation through your hearing aids, open the battery drawer at night to allow fresh air inside and to release moisture.

Remember extra accessories on vacation

You will enjoy summertime more if you can hear well, so bring everything you need for your hearing aids, including extra batteries, tubes and filters (depending on your type of hearing aid).

Worried about your current hearing aids – we’re here to help!

The professionals at Whisper Hearing Center are always happy to clean your hearing devices. If you are concerned about flying with hearing aids or have other questions, our professionals have answers to your questions. Please call (866) 337-1288 or contact us online if you are away.

First of all, earwax is natural and necessary – our ears evolved that way for a reason. Earwax acts as a natural lubricant that protects the sensitive skin in the ear canal. It also creates a natural barrier that prevents dirt and foreign objects from reaching the eardrum.

What’s more, earwax is a key component of the ear’s self-cleaning mechanism. As skin inside the ear canal grows outwards, it carries earwax with it. During this process earwax captures dirt and dead skin, this all naturally exits the ear together with the wax. If you find it annoying, chewing and yawning also help to move the wax outwards along your ear canal.

Tips on cleaning ears safely

Remember—we need earwax as protection for the eardrum. So, you shouldn’t clean it too much. It just isn’t necessary. It is safe to wipe away visible excess earwax using a wet cloth. But do not use swabs to remove wax (or anything else) from your ears.

Do you know the saying, “don’t put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear?” It’s true. You shouldn’t stick anything in your ear canal. While many people may think are safe to clean your ear, Q-tips™ or Cotton Buds™ are definitely a bad idea for wax removal! Why not?

They can scratch and inflame the sensitive skin inside the ear canal, leaving it open to infections.

They also can push debris farther in the ear canal, rather than drawing it outward.

How should I clean my children’s ears?

The same way you clean your own ears: minimally and without sticking anything into the ear. Although some companies market cotton swabs for children’s use, or even designed not to go far into the ear canal, these are still abrasive, so we don’t recommend them. Our professionals recommend you use a wet cloth to wipe out earwax only from the outer part of the ear.

Can wax block your ears?

Ironically, yes. Often when people try to clean their ears by sticking things in them to clean them, they actually push the wax inwards and create a blockage. Pushing the wax too far in the canal can force it beyond where the skin grows outwards, so it gets stuck. Eventually, this wax can become compacted, leading to hearing loss.

Addressing excessive earwax

In general, our ears produce the appropriate amount of wax to stay clean. However, some people do experience excessive earwax. Over-cleaning can cause this, as the ear produces more wax that it needs in an effort to re-establish an appropriate amount. Sometimes, however, medical conditions can cause the ear to produce too much wax. If you feel you have too much wax, please come see us and we will assess them and help you clean them.

Earwax and hearing aids

Sometimes, hearing aids may contribute to the perception that people have too much earwax, as they sit in the ear canal and prevent it coming out naturally. Most hearing aids have wax filters for this purpose which need to be changed regularly.

Get a professional’s help

At Whisper Hearing Center we can teach you safe methods for handling earwax in the ear and on your hearing device. We serve people across the region. To schedule an appointment, call (866) 337-1288.